” …Cardamone continued to refine the band’s nihilistic noise with more artful and epic gestures, transforming the band into a decadent L.A. answer to the Bad Seeds.” – Pitchfork

“It sounds like The Icarus Line, but it’s made on computers rather than guitars and drums. Ariel Pink once told him that it reminded him of Beyoncé.” – Noisey

“ …one of modern L.A. rock’s most important and antagonistic figures is finally ready to let the world in.” – The Los Angeles Times

“A nihilist attack, underpinned by industrial beats and glitch synths – it sets out the manifesto for Joe’s forthcoming recordings in a straight-forward and no frills manner and is accompanied by visuals created as part of a series of films set to his music that Joe has dubbed ‘Holy War’.“ – Kerrang!

Joe Cardamone of Los Angeles band The Icarus Line announces the new Holy War projects, which include a mixtape (out 8/30) and a companion film (out 8/25) released via Dark Star. The Holy War II film will feature the single “Asleep at the Heel,” as well as reinterpretations and covers of songs from the mixtape. Today, the trailer for Holy War II premieres via Medium teasing cameos from musicians Arrow de Wilde (Starcrawler) and Leafar Seyer (Prayers). In true Cardamone fashion, the trailer is stylish and beautiful, eerie and captivating, with bright neon colors and a low hum lingering in the background further hypnotizing viewers.

Cardamone began his infamous career as the ringleader of LA’s The Icarus Line, highly regarded as one of the scene-pavers for rock in Los Angeles. After the group disbanded, he turned from his own music and built a recording studio in Burbank where he cut records with pals like Ariel Pink and the Cult. He took nights for his own new material, which would later become Holy War, as a way for him to work through the grief that surrounded him.

Cardamone’s wife struggled with severe depression, Alvin DeGuzman (Icarus Line) passed from cancer, close friend and collaborator Annie Hardy lost both her young child and partner just months apart and he went on a disastrous tour with Scott Weiland, which ended with Weiland’s overdose death. Finding himself without a band or direction, Holy War was born.

“I almost didn’t want to do music anymore. I just didn’t care,” Cardamone said. “But things like helping Annie and Alvin, throwing myself into their world, I got to be a caretaker and help process grief. It strips away all your pretext and ego so quickly.”

Holy War’s palpable emotion took hold of an empathetic crowd as he opened for electro-Goth group Cold Cave at the Glass House in Pomona, sharing the project with audiences for the first time on an nerve-wracked evening. There are more chances to experience Holy War live in NYC, LA and more this Fall.